Damen Naval Contracts Alfa Laval for Royal Netherlands and Belgian Navy ASW Frigates
Breda, Netherlands – Damen Naval has announced a significant contract with Alfa Laval Benelux to provide critical components for the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) frigates being developed for the Royal Netherlands Navy and the Belgian Navy. Under this agreement, Alfa Laval will supply advanced fuel oil separators, cleaning tables, Oily Bilge Water Separators, and integrated logistics support deliverables.
This partnership comes on the heels of Damen Naval’s contract in June 2023 to design and construct two ASW frigates for each navy, intended to replace the existing Karel Doorman Class multipurpose frigates. The Dutch government further underscored its commitment to naval capabilities in September by announcing plans to procure additional frigates.
Richard Keulen, Damen Naval’s Director of Corporate Strategy & Innovation, emphasized the uniqueness of the project, noting, “We are building identical frigates for two different NATO partners.” He highlighted the importance of this endeavor for the Dutch naval shipbuilding sector, expressing a commitment to involve as many local suppliers as possible.
Alfa Laval’s role in the project includes providing skid-built fuel oil separators designed to accommodate a variety of fuel types. These separators are integral in removing solids and water from fuel oil, thereby improving efficiency and protecting onboard equipment. Additionally, the contract features the deployment of Oily Bilge Water Separators (PureBilge), a state-of-the-art automated centrifugal separation system that effectively cleans oily water aboard vessels by achieving oil pollution levels as low as 5 Parts Per Million (PPM). The separators will be skid-mounted, complete with interconnecting pipes and electrical cabling.
David van Luijtelaar, Head of Marine Division at Alfa Laval Benelux, expressed enthusiasm for the project, stating, “We are excited and looking forward to starting this project with strict demands in shock and noise levels with Damen Naval and extending our successful cooperation.”
This collaboration marks a pivotal development in strengthening naval defense capabilities for both the Netherlands and Belgium, reinforcing their commitment to NATO and maritime security.
